Science and Linguistics in Manu Smrti- Part 1 (Post No.4412)

Pictures shown here are taken from various sources such as Facebook friends, Books, Google and newspapers; thanks.

Manu Smrti is the first Law book in the world. It is in Sanskrit. There are over 2650 couplets in 12 chapters in the book. Latest updated version belongs to 2nd century BCE. But my research shows that the original Manu Smrti was composed before 2000 BCE. There are internal evidences for such dating; they are as follows:

Manu is referred to in the oldest book in the world – The Rig Veda

Manu talks about Sarasvati river which existed around 2000 BCE

Manu never spoke about Sati- the widow burning

Many of Manu’s rules wouldn’t fit into a period around 2nd century BCE

And updated version has lot of interpolations.

Leaders like Gandhiji could easily spot them, which went contradictory to the true spirit of the book.

People like B R Ambedkar felt very angry and burnt the copies because of Anti Shudra references in the book.

But even a child could see the interpolated Anti Shudra verses as later interpolations.

One must read it in full and then weigh it pros and cons.

The subjects he deals with are of amazing variety.

He lived before Hammurabi (1810 BCE) and other law makers.

Following is the evidence for his knowledge in Science:

My comments on first ten slokas:

He knew Big Bang (See Sloka 5, 6 and 7 given below)

He knew water is the source of living beings and the first seed was in the waters (see sloka 8 given below).

Pancha Bhuta (Five Elements) concept went from India to Greece and other parts (See sloka 6).

Linguistics:

His interpretation of the name Narayana (Nara=water+ Ayana=dwelling place) shows that water is called Nara. Linguists like S K Chatterjee thought Neer/water found in the Rig Veda was a Tamil word. But it is found in Greek in the word Nereids (water nymphs).

When a word is found in the Greek language it would be considered Indo European (Sanskrit family). But I have listed 20 to 30 Tamil words in ancient Greek. This supports my pet theory that Tamil and Sanskrit are the parents of most of the ancient languages. Most of the words can be traced back to either Tamil or Sanskrit (see Sloka 10 given below)

॥ मनुस्मृति अथवा मानवधर्मशास्त्रम् ॥

अध्याय १

मनुमेकाग्रमासीनमभिगम्य महर्षयः ।

प्रतिपूज्य यथान्यायमिदं वचनमब्रुवन् ॥ Bछ्.Sछ्॥

भगवन् सर्ववर्णानां यथावदनुपूर्वशः ।

अन्तरप्रभवानां च धर्मान्नो वक्तुमर्हसि ॥ Bछ्.Sछ्॥

त्वमेको ह्यस्य सर्वस्य विधानस्य स्वयंभुवः ।

अचिन्त्यस्याप्रमेयस्य कार्यतत्त्वार्थवित् प्रभो ॥ Bछ्.Sछ्॥

स तैः पृष्टस्तथा सम्यगमितोजा महात्मभिः ।

प्रत्युवाचार्च्य तान् सर्वान् महर्षींश्रूयतामिति ॥ Bछ्.Sछ्॥

आसीदिदं तमोभूतमप्रज्ञातमलक्षणम् ।

अप्रतर्क्यमविज्ञेयं प्रसुप्तमिव सर्वतः ॥ Bछ्.Sछ्॥

ततः स्वयंभूर्भगवानव्यक्तो व्यञ्जयन्निदम् ।

महाभूतादि वृत्तोजाः प्रादुरासीत् तमोनुदः ॥ Bछ्.Sछ्॥

योऽसावतीन्द्रियग्राह्यः सूक्ष्मोऽव्यक्तः सनातनः ।

सर्वभूतमयोऽचिन्त्यः स एव स्वयमुद्बभौ ॥

सोऽभिध्याय शरीरात् स्वात् सिसृक्षुर्विविधाः प्रजाः ।

अप एव ससर्जादौ तासु वीर्यमवासृजत् ॥ Bछ्.Sछ्॥

तदण्डमभवद्धैमं सहस्रांशुसमप्रभम् ।

तस्मिञ्जज्ञे स्वयं ब्रह्मा सर्वलोकपितामहः ॥ Bछ्.Sछ्॥

आपो नारा इति प्रोक्ता आपो वै नरसूनवः ।

ता यदस्यायनं पूर्वं तेन नारायणः स्मृतः ॥ Bछ्.Sछ्

CHAPTER I

The great sages approached Manu, who was seated with a collected mind, and, having duly worshipped him, spoke as follows:

‘Deign, divine one, to declare to us precisely and in due order the sacred laws of each of the (four chief) castes (varna) and of the intermediate ones.

‘For thou, O Lord, alone knowest the purport, (i.e.) the rites, and the knowledge of the soul, (taught) in this whole ordinance of the Self-existent (Svayambhu), which is unknowable and unfathomable.’

He, whose power is measureless, being thus asked by the high-minded great sages, duly honoured them, and answered, ‘Listen!’

This (universe) existed in the shape of Darkness, unperceived, destitute of distinctive marks, unattainable by reasoning, unknowable, wholly immersed, as it were, in deep sleep.

Then the divine Self-existent (Svayambhu, himself) indiscernible, (but) making (all) this, the great elements and the rest, discernible, appeared with irresistible (creative) power, dispelling the darkness.

He who can be perceived by the internal organ (alone), who is subtile, indiscernible, and eternal, who contains all created beings and is inconceivable, shone forth of his own (will).

He, desiring to produce beings of many kinds from his own body, first with a thought created the waters, and placed his seed in them.

That (seed) became a golden egg, in brilliancy equal to the sun; in that (egg) he himself was born as Brahman, the progenitor of the whole world.

The waters are called narah, (for) the waters are, indeed, the offspring of Nara; as they were his first residence (ayana), he thence is named Narayana.

1 Comment

sir, many people liked to live in ignorance.. Manusmriti clearly states the quality of brahmin and other varnas. which no one follows. then why are they following only caste system? If i ask them they say their forefather followed it. How do you see that ? and our own people willing to stay in darkness.